Net Neutrality

Net Neutrality is a founding principle of the Internet which guarantees that telecoms operators remain mere transmitters of information and do not discriminate between different users, their communications or content accessed. It ensures that all users, whatever their resources, access the same and whole network. But this principle is being undermined as operators develop business models that restrict access by throttling or blocking specific online content, services or applications (protocols, websites, etc.), or their users' freedom to publish information.

In the face of these attempts to undermine the decentralized architecture of the Internet, and the freedom of communication and innovation it represents, lawmakers must guarantee Net Neutrality. Internet access providers must be sanctioned if they discriminate Internet communications, be it according to the source, the recipient, or the nature of the information being transmitted. It this does not happen, we will create an Internet where only users able to pay for privileged access enjoy the network's full capabilities.

Quad'news

Press review

Timeline

Future

Past

  • 27 October 2015 - Vote on the Telecom Regulation
  • 30 June 2015 - Fourth trialogue on Net Neutrality
  • 2 June 2015 - Third trialogue on Net Neutrality
  • 21 April 2015 - Second trialogue on Net Neutrality
  • 23 March 2015 - First trialogue meeting on Net Neutrality
  • Announced for June 2014 – Legislative deliberation of the Council of the European Union on the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council, also known as the Directive on Net Neutrality
  • 3 April 2014 – Final vote in Plenary Session on Net Neutrality
  • 18 March 2014 – ITRE committee's vote on Castillo Vera's Draft Report
  • 12 February 2014 - LIBE committee's opinions vote on Neelie Kroes' anti-Net Neutrality proposal
  • 30-31 January 2014 - Committee of the Region's plenary sitting: vote of its opinion on Neelie Kroes' proposal
  • 22-23 January 2014 - Consideration of amendments on Castillo Vera's Draft Report
  • 23 January 2014 - IMCO committee's opinions vote on Neelie Kroes' anti-Net Neutrality proposal
  • 21 January 2014 - JURI and CULT committees' opinions votes on Neelie Kroes' anti-Net Neutrality proposal
  • 17 December 2013 - Deadline amendments for ITRE Report on Castillo Vera's Draft Report
  • 9 December 2013 - Presentation of the Castillo Vera Draft Report on Neelie Kroes' proposal on ITRE committee
  • 11 September 2013 - Adoption of the draft regulation on a telecom single market
  • 12 February 2013 - Parliamentary question to the EU Commission on Net neutrality and Commissioner Kroes' statements
  • January 2013 - The EU High Level Group on Media Pluralism and Freedom has published a report “A free and pluralistic media to sustain European democracy” proposing to enshrine Net Neutrality in EU law.
  • 3-14 December 2012 - World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) in Dubai for a review of the ITRs
  • May 29th, 2012 - EU telecoms regulators releases final report on Net Neutrality violations across Europe. La Quadrature du Net responded to the BEREC consultation, based on the findings of the RespectMyNet platform.
  • December 13th, 2011 - EU Members States adopts conclusions stressing the need to "preserve the open and neutral character of the Internet and consider net neutrality as a policy objective"
  • November 17th, 2011 - The EU Parliament adopts a resolution calling on the Commission to swiftly assess the need for further regulation
  • October 7th, 2011 - In a ground-breaking opinion on Net neutrality, the European Data Protection Supervisor stresses that restrictions to Internet access inevitably harm privacy
  • September 22nd, 2011 - La Quadrature and Bits of Freedom release RespectMyNet.eu, a citizen reporting platform for Net neutrality violations in the EU
  • April 19th, 2011 - The European Commissioner for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes, releases a report on Net neutrality.
  • April 13th, 2011 - French MEPs release a encouraging report, calling for the legislative protection of Net neutrality.
  • September 30th, 2010 - Deadline for the European Commission's public consultation on Net Neutrality

Analysis

Documents of reference

More information and documents on the Wiki

LQDN on Net neutrality at EU Commission

Jérémie Zimmermann's intervention at the EU Commission Summit about Net Neutrality.

Quote

We stand for a single internet where all of humanity has equal access to knowledge and ideas. And we recognize that the world’s information infrastructure will become what we and others make of it. Now, this challenge may be new, but our responsibility to help ensure the free exchange of ideas goes back to the birth of our republic.

Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State - Remarks on Internet freedom, Jan 21st, 2010.